Schools composting

Having a compost bin or heap at your school is a great way for pupils, teachers, parents, governors and caretakers to learn how to compost.

The following items can go in a compost bin:

Greens

• Grass clippings
• Fresh plants
• Raw fruit and vegetable peelings
• Weeds (but not Japanese knotweed or bindweed)
• Flowers

Browns

• Hedge clippings
• Leaves (but not too many). If you have lots of leaves then these are best composted separately in a wire mesh bin
• Cardboard packaging, toilet roll tubes, egg boxes
• Scrunched up newspaper

Schools can apply to us for a compost bin. Please contact us for more information.

Depending on how quickly you want to get the finished compost there are a few things that can be done to speed up the composting process:

• Cut the items up into small pieces
• Add some compost or a small amount of soil
• Get a balanced mix of greens and browns
• Turn the compost heap or poke with a broom handle regularly to ensure there is plenty of oxygen
• Check the compost bin from time to time to make sure the contents aren't too wet or too dry
• If too wet add more 'browns' such as cardboard or scrunched up newspaper and mix well
• If too dry, add more 'greens' or water and mix well
• The contents should be damp like a wrung out sponge

The finished compost can be used on flower beds as mulch or compost for seedlings.